The Commission, European Ministers and industry agreed to work together on digital cross-border corridors. Commissioners Oettinger, Bulc and Gabriel were delighted to welcome commitments from Member States and industry to the testing activities on a set of connected cross-border roads.

Full joint statement:

“Cooperative, connected and automated mobility is becoming a reality for EU citizens.

Together with the Member States, we have today agreed on actions to strengthen cross-border collaboration on testing.

With the discussions held at the margins of the Frankfurt International Motor Show, Member States and industry commit to cross-border testing in Finland, Norway and Sweden. These new tests will complement tests already taking place between Germany, France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. We soon expect more Member States to make commitments to such tests. Member States have also tasked the Commission to develop a common European approach to testing, to ensure that smart vehicles can travel smoothly across Europe.

We have an opportunity we cannot miss: Europe can lead in the field of connected mobility, but for this, all Member States and industry have to work together closely and move into the same direction. There is no time to lose.

Connected and automated mobility builds on the Digital Single Market strategy and is an integral part of the Commission’s strategy on low-emission mobility and the 2018 Mobility Package. We, therefore, need to advance quickly with all relevant proposals under these strategies, above all the updated EU telecoms rules to boost investments in high-speed and quality networks and the Commission’s Masterplan on Cooperative Intelligent Transport Services.

Therefore, we call on co-legislators to act swiftly on all proposals already presented.”